Chapter 20 — Chasing Shadows
Keifer's POV
The second I realized Jay had run, my heart dropped into a pit I didn't know existed. The sound of her sobs, muffled by the night air, echoed in my mind. I cursed under my breath, my fists clenching so tight my knuckles whitened.
"Jay!" I shouted, but only the wind answered. The garden was empty except for the swing she had collapsed on, swaying slightly.
Her perfume lingered faintly, mixing with the damp smell of rain. I ran, my shoes slipping on the wet stones, heart hammering, mind racing. How did I let this happen? How did I let her see even the smallest moment that could be misinterpreted?
"She's not gone yet," I muttered to myself, skidding to a stop near the swing. My hand reached out, hesitating over the cold chain. She wasn't looking at me. Her tiny body shook, tears streaming freely, mascara streaked across her cheeks.
I crouched, keeping my voice gentle. "Jay… please. Look at me."
She flinched at the sound of my voice but didn't move. Her arms hugged her knees, pressing her body into herself. I swallowed hard. Every second she stayed like that felt like I was losing her again.
"Jay, I swear, nothing happened," I said, my hands trembling as I reached out. "Ella… she didn't—she never—"
Her head snapped up. Her eyes were wild, glowing with hurt and disbelief. "You kissed her."
"No! Jay, I—"
"Don't lie!" she shrieked, finally pushing herself up. "Don't even pretend to justify this!"
I grabbed her shoulders gently, keeping my tone calm but desperate. "I didn't kiss her! She kissed me, yes—but I didn't let it happen! I turned away, Jay! You ran before you even let me explain!"
Her tears fell faster, her breath uneven. "Then why… why did it look like it?"
"Because it was a second! A second I couldn't control her," I said, my voice cracking. "I swear, it meant nothing. You have to believe me!"
Her hands trembled as she wiped at her cheeks. "It's… it's always something with you, isn't it? You, her, the kids, the mansion… I can't even find a moment of peace without feeling like I'm not enough!"
Pain lanced through me. Her words cut deeper than I expected. I sat down beside her on the swing, leaving a small distance, unsure if I was allowed closer.
"Jay," I whispered, voice breaking. "You are my family. You are my wife. You are the only one I ever wanted."
She turned away, staring into the dark garden. "Then why do I always feel like… like there's another woman standing between us?"
I reached for her hand, her fingers stiff but not rejecting mine. "Because I let her in, to protect my child," I admitted. "Kaiz… he had nowhere else to go. Ella and he—both of them were struggling. They had nowhere to live. I couldn't turn them away, not when they needed me. But that doesn't—doesn't mean I love her, Jay. Never. It's always been you. Only you."
She didn't speak, but her shoulders shook again. I moved closer, brushing wet hair from her cheek. "I don't want you thinking I'd choose anyone over you. Kaiz… Ella… none of them matter the way you do. You're my heart."
Her tears fell onto my hand. I held her gently, unsure whether to pull her into my lap or let her stay curled. Finally, she turned, her eyes meeting mine. They were raw, vulnerable, and… jealous.
I leaned closer, brushing my lips against hers softly, trying to ground her, to show her she was mine. "Jay… I love you. Only you. Always you."
She trembled, then relaxed slightly, letting me hold her. My heart hammered as I kissed her again, this time a little deeper, more assuring.
The night stretched on, silent except for her soft sobs fading into quiet breaths and the occasional distant city sound.
"Tomorrow," I whispered, resting my forehead against hers. "Tomorrow, we fix everything. But tonight… tonight, it's just us."
She nodded against me, the first time all day she seemed like my wife, not my enemy. Not threatened. Just Jay.
And I swore to myself, no matter what games Ella tried to play, no matter what chaos came, I'd never let her slip away again.
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So hey guys I sadly have something to announce today.
As you know this book was a collab between me and Mortalink.But she is no longer going to be able to write.
She reached out to me that she wants me to write the book on my own.
She really doesn't want to keep you all waiting.
I really don't know how she really is just that she wont write anymore.
I do not know if she will also stop writting her other books.
Bye guys.